Violin-piano.



E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED rmms, 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Attorneys.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTJO-LITHOQ WASHINCYON, D.

E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28, 1913.

Patented NOV. 3, 1914.

is SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHGTOLITHO.1 WASHINGTON. D. C.

E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28. 1913.

1 ,1 1 5,601 Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTD-LITHCL. WASHINGroN. D. C.

E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED T11R28, 1913.

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E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION TILED PEB.28, 1913. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

- 6 SHEBTS'SHEET 5. az 95 7196 {5 99 42 J01 9,9 9

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61 a z; 24 Z8 7 3 j Z7 \Nitnesses Q Inventor,

' I I 7 I Attorneys,

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGION, D. C.

E. SILEN.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.28, 191s.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

M a M m Witnesses Attorneys,

| THE NORRIS PETERS C04, F'HOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTONv D. Cv

ERICK SILEN, OF MAYGER, OREGON.

VIOLIN-EIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914. Serial No. 751,320.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERICK SILEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mayger, in the county of Columbia and State of Ore gon, have invented a new and useful Violin- Piano, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in violin pianos, the structure herein shown being the refinement of the violin piano as covered by applicants Patent No. 1,045,899, issued December 3, 1912, the primary object of the presentinvention being the provision of a piano of this character, in which a novel form of flexible bowing disk is employed, in combination with a rotary and oscillatory means carried by a shaft for actuating the bowing disk to produce a quaver effect or to actuate a hammer for producing a tremolo effect upon the strings of a piano.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a means whereby the bar, actuated through the keys of the piano mechanism will properly flex the bowing disks and operate the tremolo hammers, may be controlled through the medium of an automatic player.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a violin piano constructed accordiug to and embodying the present invention, a portion of the front panels of the same being broken away to show the construction of the power device and the violin attachment at the right hand corner thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the violin piano on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation of the bow disk operating mechanism and the tremolo and quaver producing shaft with its operating mechanism. Fig. at is a front elevation thereof showing a means for elevating and lowering the tremolo and quaver producing shaft. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the mounting of the last mentioned shaft. Fig. 6 islan enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the various manually controlled levers for operating the various mechanisms of the violin piano. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale through the casing for supporting the flexing means for the bowing disks and the resin supplying device, a single bowing disk and one string of the piano being shown in elevation. Fig. 8 is a top plan view thereof showing a plurality of bowing disks and strings with a plurality of the bowing disk flexing devices. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 8. Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged detail views of a single bowing disk. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail elevation showing a single string and the individual means for producing a quaver effect upon a bowing disk and for operating a tremolo hammer. Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a number of the same. Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection of a single key and one of the damper devices.

In describing the present invention, the same will be taken up under the following sub-topics: the cabinet and motor; the bow ing disk and mechanism for operating the same; the tremolo and quaver producing devices; the resining device; and the damping device control.

T716 cabinet and motor.-Referring to the drawings. A designates the piano cabinet, having the usual key-board B and the ver tit-ally or angularly stretched strings C, said strings being arranged across as usual in front of the sounding board D similarly to the usual cons .ruction of piano.

Disposed within the lower portion above the face of the cabinet are two parallel standards, 1, in which is ournaled the horizontal shaft 2, one end of said shaft being journaled intermediate of the ends of the taller or vertical standard 1 disposed toward the right hand portion of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 1. Keyed upon the shaft 2 between the standards 1 is a single drum 3, provided with the two grooves 8' and 3 there being disposed upon the shaft 2 for oscillation, the two levers 4 L, each one of which carries its weight-actuated groove-engaging pawl 5: T 1e upper end of each of the pawls 5-? is provided with a hooked terminal 5, disposed to engage respectively in the peripheral grooves 3 and 3 so that as the foot treadles 12-12, through the links Iii--13, are operated by the performer, a continuous rotation will be imparted through the drum 3 to the shaft 2. Keyed upon the shaft 2 is a friction wheel (3, which is in engagement with a small friction wheel 7 disposed upon the short horizontal shaft 8, said horizontal shaft 8 being provided with the two balance or fly wheels 9-9. Upon the shaft 2 adjacent to the friction wheel 6 are keyed the small grooved pulley 10 and the belt-carrying pulley 11. Disposed to be trained over the grooved pulley 10 is a round belt 1 L there being a flat belt 15 trained over the pulley 11, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,3 and 4. A. belt tightener 16 is provided.

The belt 1% having a weight actuated tightener 16 is disposed to pass over a guide pulley 17, mounted upon the plate 21 of the frame for supporting the mechanism within the cabinet and about the pulley 18 keyed upon the shaft 19. This shaft as will later appear, is disposed for sliding movement within the slots 29 of the plates 21, there being two or more of these frames disposed throughout the length of the piano. The belt 15, as clearly shown, is crossed and passes over the small pulley disposed upon the bow disk carrying shaft 23, the detail description of both of which will appear later on.

It will thus be seen that as the motor is operated at all times, that both shafts l9 and 23 will also be continuously rotated.

Bowing disk and operating mochtmsm. The shaft as clearly shown is disposed longitudinally of and to the front of the respective strings C, the intermediate portion being formed square or in the shape of a rectangle, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 10, there being disposed upon the shaft 23 adjacent each string C and in pairs, leather collars 2 e-24fl between which is mounted the flexible bowing disk 25, said bowing disk 25 being loosely mounted upon the shaft so as to be capable of both a longitudinal sliding movement as well as a tilting movement, as clearly illustrated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 11.

Each of the disks is preferably made of a plurality of nested concaved sections of a suitable flexing material, such for instance as celluloid, and each disk has its outer periphery formed as at 26, to produce a stringengaging portion with a plurality of c0ncentrio rims.

The plate 27 is disposed longitudinally of the piano casing carries the two parallel strips 28, which with the plate 29 form. a

rectangular boxing, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7, for the proper journaling of the bowdisk controlling rods 30, there being one rod to each bowing disk. Each rod is provided with the offset portion 31 to provide a means for retaining the same against longitudinal movement within the ournaling box so that the upstanding arm 32 will be properly disposed relatively to its bowing disk to engage the outer curved face thereof to flex the disk to cause the edges 26 thereof to engage the string C. In order to operate the rods 30, each rod is provided with a crank arm 33, which is operably connected to the upper end of the vertically movable bars 35, there being one bar 35 to each rod 30 and consequently one rod 30 to each bowing disk 25. A spring 34. is so disposed upon each rod 30 as to normally maintain the bowing disk engaging end 32 out of engagement with the bowing disk, so that the disk may rotate between the adjacent strings C without contacting the same, it being necessary to flex the disk in order to assume the dotted line position in Fig. 11 to engage its respective string during the rotation of the disk.

In order to properly elevate the bar 35 and thus cause the flexing of the selected bowing disk, the lower end of the bar 35, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 is adjustahly connected by means of the coupling 36 to the front free end of the short lever 37, said lever 37 being pivoted to a fixed depending flange 38 carried bythe longitudinally disposed frame plate 39. A coupling link 40 is connected to the forward free end of the lever 3'7 and to the rear free end of the key 41, so

that the depression of the selected key ell,

will elevate the free end of the lever 37, and consequently the bar 35.

Tremolo and g'uooor producing devices," The shaft 19 as heretofore described, is rotated simultaneously with the shaft 23, and as will presently appear, controls the tremolo hammers 48 and imparts the necessary movement to the bar 35 to produce a tremolo eii'ect upon the bowing disk.

Keyed upon and rotatable with the shaft 19 is a. bar 12, the outer periphery of which as clearly illustrated in Fig. 12 is provided with the concavities l3 and the ridges 44:.

Carried by the plate e5 which is disposed longitudinally of the piano cabinet, are a plurality of supports or plates l6, one to each string of the piano, and carried by eacl plate 46 for resilient swinging increment bythe spring i7 is tremolo hammer 48. The string-engaging head 49 of each hammer 48 is normally in the position, shown in Fig. 12. A resilient support 50 is carried by the hammer 48, and has journaled therein a felt roller 51, which is mounted to be engaged by the periphery of the bar 42 when the bar 42 is lowered. Thus the rotation of the bar 42 will impart a rapid vibratory movement to the hammer 4:8 to cause the end e9 thereof to engage one string C to produce the desired tremolo effect, this hammering effect upon the string being simultaneously with the engagement of the selected bowing disk therewith.

In order to elevate the outer end of the selected tremolo hammer 48 when the bar 353 is elevated, the structure shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is employed. The apertured screw 52 in this instance has connected thereto one terminal of thecord 53, said cord 53 being threaded through the guide arm 51 and.

connected to the rear face of the bar 35, being adjustably connected to the bar through the medium of the adjusting screw The quaver effect is produced without affecting the tremolo hammers 48, and through the instrumentality of the levers 59, which as clearly shown, are mounted upon or pivoted to supporting flanges 57. The flanges 57 are secured to the longitudinal plate 56 which is supported from the plate 21 and to the rear of the vertically-slidable bow-disk actuating bars 35. The lug 58 upon the flange 57 limits the downward movement of the outer free end of the lever 59, While the spring 60 normally holds the inner end thereof carrying the disk engaging felt roller 61 upward and out of the path to be engaged by the bar 42 when the shaft 19 is elevated as will presently appear.

The forward end 62 of the lever 59 is disposed in the path to be engaged by the lug or block 63 connected to and projecting from the rear face of the bar 35, so that when the key 11 is actuated, and the bar 35 elevated, the lever 59 will be operated so as to depress its felt roller 61, but as the shaft 19 has not been elevated, the lever 59 will not be vibrated to produce the desired quaver effect upon the bowing disk. Simultaneously with the actuation of the key 41, the soft end 65 of the pin 64 will engage the damper lever 66. This-action will move the damper 69 from engagement with the string C, said lever 66 being-mounted in its bracket 67 and being automatically returned to string engagement by the springGS. I

In order to normally maintain the shaft 19 in such a position that the bar 42 will not be moved in engagement with the respective felt rollers 51 and 61. the lever 70 is pivoted to each plate 21. This lever is provided with the recess 71 and due to its spring 72, said lever has its recess 71 placed astride the shaft 19. as particularly illustrated in Fig. 5. The spring 72 is of such strength, however. as to permit of the proper lowering and elevating of the shaft'19 when it is desired to actuate the quaver lever 59 or the tremolo hammer 48.

Two levers 73, which are pivoted to the respective plates 21, are connected to the journals of the shaft 19 so that said shaft 19 may be lowered or elevated when desired. A spring 71 normally holds the lever 73 in the position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In order to lower the shaft so as to bring the bar 42 into engagement with the selected elevated tremolo actuating roller 51, the actuating rod 76 provided with the adjusting turn buckle 77 is connected to the notched end of the lever 7 3 and as clearly shown in Fig. 6, is connected to the crank arm 86 of the rock shaft 87. The forward end of the rock shaft 87 is connected to the longitudinally slidable bar 88 disposed in the front portion below the key board of the piano, for actuation by the knee actuated lever 91, when the same is moved to the left as viewed in Figs.

,1 and 6. Thus the lug 90 connected to and carried by the bar 88 will be engaged by the lever 91 and the bar 83 will be moved and thus cause the two shafts 87 to be rocked and depress the two vertical rods 76 and levers 73 which cause the shaft- 19 to be lowered to bring the disk 12 in engagement with the roller 51.

In order that the shaft 19 may be elevated so that the bar 12 will be placed in engagement with the roller 61 of the quaver actuating lever 59, and thus produce the necessary quaver effect upon the selected bar 35, and consequently its selected bowing disk, the link 78, carried by each lever 73 is pivotally connected to a double lever 79. This lever 79 is pivoted intermediate of its ends to its supporting plate 21, and has its notched free end 81 connected to the operating rod 82. The rod 82 is provided with an adjustable turn-buckle 83, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, and has its lower end operably connected to the rock shaft Sat, there being two of these shafts, each one of which is connected to the forward sliding bar 85, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, so that when the knee lever 91 is moved to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, the lever 91 will engage a lug 89 carried by the slidable bar 85 and thus move the bar 85 to the right. Consequently the shaft 19 is caused to be elevated and carry with it its bar 42, and as the selected key bar 35 has been depressed, the roller 61 of the selected lever 59 will be placed in engagement with the rapidly rotating bar 12 so that the lever 59 will have imparted thereto a vibration which in turn Will vibrate the selected bar and bow flexing rod 30. The bar or lever 91 is provided with a knee engaging member 92 disposed in ready access to the operator.

Resin apply ing (Zeoice.-In order that the string engaging edges 26 of the respective bowing disks may have nroperly applied thereto the necessary resin, a vertically swinging longitudinally disposed plate 93 is hinged for longitudinal. sliding movement and also vertical swinging movement by means of a plurality of hinge members 94, carried by the plates 93, and 95 carried upon the upper face of the plate 29. The free edge 96 of the plate 93 is slightly offset and has connected thereto, one to each bowing disk 25, a resin holder 97, which carries the block 98 of resin. This block 98 of resin, disposed adjacent to its bowing disk, is normally out of contact therewith. Carried upon the under face of the plate 93 are a plurality of casters 99, which engage the upper surface of the plate 29 and thus antifrictionally support the free end of the plate 93 when the same is moved longitudinally into and out of resin-supplying position. In order to resiliently oppose the upward movement of the plate 93 due to the rotation of the bowing disk 25 when in engagement with the resin block 98, a plurality of hinge plates are connected to the plate 29 and carry the yokes 101, each one of which is provided with a soft caster or roller 102 held by means of the spring 103 into resilient engagement with the upper face of the plate 93 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

In order to lon itudinally move the plate 93, so as to place the blocks of resin 98 into engagement with all of the bowing disks simultaneously, the link 105 is pivotally connected to the pin 104:, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, and is operated by the crank arm 106 of the vertical shaft 107, said Vertical shaft 10? being controlled finally through the bar 108, which is disposed in ready access to the player. Carried upon the vertical shaft 107 is the spring 109, which normally operates the rod 107 to return the plate 93 and the blocks of resin 98 out of engagement with the bowing disks.

I a/viper actuating Zevi0c.-ln order to eroduce the desired sustained tones in the C, the damper 69 should be mored I! an engagement with the strings C, and in order to accomp sh this, the structure particularly shown in Figs. 0 and H is employed. The damper lever actuating plate 110 is pivoted to the rear face of the plate 39 by means of the pivoting lugs 111, said mate 110 being provided with a plurality ,7 operating arms 112, each of which is op erably connected through its respective lii1ks 1.13 113, to a bell crank lever 11-1, and a crank arm 115. The lever 11 i and crank 115 are keyed upon the respective of the shaft 116. The bell crank lever ill is the operating lever for the shaft 110, and connected through the link 11'? to a bell crank lever 118 mounted at the forward under portion of the piano cabinet, said bell crank lerer 118 being operably connected through the rod 119, to the knee actuated lever 120, so that as the knee-engaging por tion 121 thereof is moved to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, the rod 119 is operated to cause the plate 110 to move all of the dampers 39 from engagement with the strings.

In order to limit the depression of keys and thus limit the movement of bars a hooked rod 122 is disposed to by the knee actuated lever 10 the same is m v;ed to the right, as in 1 and 6, and through the moves the key limiting bar the cam slots will ride past c the cams 126 carried by the pia o out of From the foregoing description, taken in connzction with the drawings, it is evident that the structure shown in the before mentioned patent, is greatly simplified by the present structure, the sliaft 19 being controlled to produce the quaver and also the tremolo effect without the necessity of mounting the bowing disks so that the said bowing disks are moved to and from the strings, as is the case in the before mentioned patent. .he bowing disks in the present instance are maintained in the same position relatively to the strings and each is simply flexed by means of the crank of the rock shaft 30, through the key actuated bar 355 to produce the necessary movement of the bowing disk toward its string.

in order to provide a means whereby the present device may be operated through a piano-playing mechanism, upon the forward face of each bar 35, as clearly illustrated in 12, is mounted a lug 130, the same being novided with an elongated slot 131 for the reception of the adjusting and fastening screw 132, said slot permitting the adjustment of the lug 130, so that the same may oe moved to an position to either be engaged by the arm 133 actuated by a piano player mechanism (not shown) or out of the path thereof so that the keys 421 may be manipulated manually, as in an ordinary piano.

ll hat is claimed is:

1. A violin piano, having a prime mover, a string, a shaft rotated from the prime mover, a flexible bowing disk rotatable with the shaft, a key, a. b" operable from the key, means for iiexin j the disk operably connected to the bar, a second shaft rotated from the prime mover and mechanism actuated by the second shaft for imparting vibratory morement to the bar to intermittently flex the bowing disk during the depress in of the key.

A. violin piano, having a prime mover, a string, a shaft rotated from the prime mover, a flexible bowing disk rotatable with the shaft, key, a key-actuated bar, means for "leking the disk operab y connected to bar, a second shaft rotated from the prime mover, mechanism actuated by the second shaft for imparting vibratory movement to the bar to intermittently flex the bowing disk during the depression of the he said mechanism including a corrugated bar carried by and rotatable with the sec- 'ond shaft, a projection carried by the keyactuated bar, and means disposed in the path to be engaged by both the corrugated bar and the projection for causing the bar to actuate the key-actuated bar.

3. A violin piano, having a prime mover, a string, a shaft rotated from the prime mover, a flexible bowing disk rotatable with the shaft, a key, a bar operably. connected to the key, means for flexing the disk oper ably connected to the bar, a second rotatable shaft operably connected to the prime mover, a corrugated bar keyed upon and rotatable with the second shaft, and a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends and having one end disposed to be placed in engagement with the corrugated bar while the other end is disposed in the path to be engaged by the key bar when the key bar is elevated due to the depression of a key, the rotative action imparted to the corrugated bar when the lever is in engagement therewith imparting through the lever a. vibratory action to the key bar and bowing disk.

4. A violin piano, having a prime mover, a string, a shaft rotated from the prime mover, a flexible bowing disk rotatable with the shaft, a key, a bar operably connected to the key, means for flexing the disk operably connected to the bar, a second rotatable shaft operably connected to the prime mover,

said second shaft being mounted for oscillatory movement, means for oscillating the second shaft, a corrugated bar keyed upon and rotatable with the second shaft, and a lever operably connected to a key bar and mounted for engagement with the corrugated bar to impart a vibratory movement to the key bar when the key is depressed and the corrugated bar is moved to engage the lever and is rotated.

5. A violin piano, having a. prime mover, a plurality of strings, a frame mounted in front of the strings, a longitudinally disposed shaft journaled for rotation in said frame and operably connected to the prime mover, a plurality of bowing disks one to each string keyed upon and rotatable with the shaft, means for flexing each bowing disk to place the same in engagement with its string, a plurality of vertically movable key actuated bars, one to each of said last means operably connected thereto, a plurality of keys, one key being connected to each key actuated bar, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, means carried by the frame and connected to the shaft for bodily oscillating the shaft relatively to the frame, a corrugated bar keyed upon and rotatable with the second shaft, a lever to each key actuated bar disposed in the path thereof and operated thereby during the depression of a key and the elevation of a key actuated bar, and means mounted in one Oopfen of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner end of the lever for engagement with the corrugated bar, whereby when the key-actu ated bar is elevated, the selected bowing disk will be vibrated due to the engagement of the corrugated bar with the lever.

6. A violin piano, having a string, a rotatable shaft, a bowing disk loosely mounted thereupon for limited longitudinal movement, said bowing disk being rotatable with the shaft, and means mounted upon the shaft for limiting the longitudinal move ment of the bowing disk.

7. A violin piano, having a string, a rotatable shaft, a bow ing disk loosely mounted thereupon for limited longitudinal movement, said bowingdisk being rotatable with the shaft, and means mounted upon the shaft for limiting the longitudinal move ment of the bowing disk, said bowing disk eing composed of a plurality of nested concaved disks.

8. A violin piano, having a string, a rotatable shaft, a bowing disk loosely mounted thereupon for limited longitudinal move ment, said bot-ting disk being rotatable with the shaft, and means mounted upon the shaft for limiting the longitudinal movement of the bowing disks, said bowing disks being composed of a plurality of flexible concaved disks to provide a plurality of concentrically disposed string engaging edges.

9. A violin piano, having a plurality of rotatable bowing disks, means for supplying resin to said disks, including a support, a plate hingedly connected to said support for longitudinal and vert'cal movement, a plurality of resin holders one to each bowing disk carried by said plate, and manually-operable spring-returned means for sliding the plate to move the resin holders into resin-supplying position relatively to the bowing disks.

10. A violin piano, having a plurality of rotatable bowing disks, means for supplying resin to said disks, including a support, a plate hingedly connected to said support for vertical and longitudinal movement, a plurality of resin holders one to each bow ing disk carried by said plate, manuallyoperable spring-returned means for sliding the plate to move the resin holders into resin-supplying position to the bowing disks, and resilient means for limiting the vertical movement of the plate during the supplying of resin to the disks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my si nature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERICK SILEN. l Vitnesses l/VALDEMAR SnroN, Geo. D. CULnnn'rsoN.

of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

